Lottery apparatus

ABSTRACT

A lottery apparatus comprises a closed container in which a roll of continuous strip of tickets numbered in a random disorder is completely enclosed. Means are provided in the container for the withdrawal of the strip from the container through an outlet opening thereof and for preventing the strip when withdrawn to be returned to the container. The container prevents reading of the number of a ticket until it is completely withdrawn from the container.

Unlted States Patent 11 1 [111 3,838,761

Hakansson et al. 1 Oct. 1, 1974 LOTTERY APPARATUS 799,673 9/1905 Richter194 010. 2 H 1 Nils Magi-us Hakansson; Make 1335,1333 131:3212221133113: 1??33'63 Harld Martensson, both of 2,581,323 1/1952Gottschau 194/010. 11 Helsmgborg, Swe en 2,612,425 9/1952 Jacobson83/649 x [73] Assignee: Sveriges Forenade TryckerierForsaljningsaktiebolag, Helsingborg, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONSSweden 654,535 12/1962 Canada 226/l27 [22] Filed: Jan. 13, 1972 [2]]Appl. No.: 217,490 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Jones, Tullar & Cooper [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov.5, 1971 Sweden 14180/71 Dec. 6, 1971 Sweden 15614/71 [57] ABSTRACT Cl Alottery apparatus comprises a closed container in 3/226 which a roll ofcontinuous strip of tickets numbered in [51] Int. Cl. G07f 11/00 arandom disorder is completely enclosed. Means are [58] Fleld f Searchprovided in the container for the withdrawal of the /6 226/ 1271-133,194/1316. strip from the container through an outlet opening thereof andfor preventing the strip when withdrawn 3,1316. 2 to be returned to thecontainer. The container prevents reading of the number of a ticketuntil it is comi References Cited pletely withdrawn from the container,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 788,187 4/ 1905 Burdick 194/DIG. 2 8 Claims, 14Drawing Figures PATENTEDHBI 1 1914 3,838,761

SHEEF 30F 8 PAIENTEUBCT 1W 3,838,761

sum nor a Fig 6 murmur 1 3,838,761

SHEET 5 OF 8 Fig. 7

PATENTED 1 74 SHEET 70F 8 LOTTERY APPARATUS dling the distribution andsale of the lottery-tickets will not be able imperceptibly to separatewinning lotterytickets from other tickets. Different types of rolled andfolded lottery-tickets have been proposed in order to satisfy thisrequirement.

The present invention provides a new solution to the problem ofmaintaining the number secrecy in lotteries of the type referred toabove until the lottery-ticket has been sold, which differs from theprinciples hitherto adopted by the fact that the tickets are sealed notindividually but collectively, whereby the seal may be provided in asimpler but nevertheless more reliable manner than that adopted forrolled and folded tickets. At the same time it is easier to distributethe tickets and to check the sale thereof.

According to the invention this is achieved by a lottery apparatuscomprising numbered tickets which are provided as a roll of a continuousstrip on which the successive tickets are numbered in a non-regularsequence andfrom which the tickets can be separated in dividually,characterized in that the strip having the numbers visibly printed onthe individual tickets thereof for the protection of the number secrecyis enclosed in a container which forms an opening for the withdrawal ofthe tickets and which prevents the ticket number of each ticket to beread until the ticket is substantially completely withdrawn from thecontainer, and further characterized in that means are provided toprevent a partially withdrawn ticket from being returned to thecontainer.

In order to automatize a lottery apparatus of the type referred to suchthat the withdrawal of the ticket is achieved due to the fact that oneor more coins are introduced into a coin slot of a prepayment mechanism,the lottery apparatus is further characterized in that a knob isprovided on the container for the withdrawal of the tickets, and thatthe container is replaceably mounted having the knob releasablyconnected with a turning member which may be connected with a manualoperating mechanism by driving means which is to be activated by one ormore coins supplied to the prepayment mechanism.

The lottery apparatus according to the invention will FIG. 4 is aperspective view of a lottery-ticket vending machine having two lotteryapparatuses according to the invention mounted therein;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an operating mechanism in the lotteryapparatus a blocking mechanism included therein being shown in aninoperative position;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 and showing the blockingmechanism in the position wherein a ticket has been withdrawn but hasnot been separated from the strip;

FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 showing the blocking mechanismin the position at the separation of a ticket;

} FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic side view of the lottery apparatus in aninoperative position;

FIG. 9 is a detail view of the lottery apparatus taken according to lineIX IX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 8 disclosing essential parts ofthe mechanism shown therein when a coin has been introduced into theprepayment mechanism;

FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to FIG. 8 but disclosing the elements inthe position when a ticket is being withdrawn;

FIG. 12 is a detail view, substantially in vertical section of a portionof the housing of the lottery-ticket vending machine according to FIG.4;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a sensing means in the position whenthere is a ticket strip in the lottery apparatus; and

FIG. 14 is a view corresponding to FIG. 13 in the position when there isno ticket strip in the lottery apparatus.

The lottery-ticket vending machine disclosed in the drawings comprises acontainer 10 e.g. of plastics, including two identical half portionseach forming an end wall 1 l and a side wall 12. One or both of thecontainer half portions is formed or provided with tongues or otherprojections (not shown) on the inner surface of the side wall,projecting from the side wall at the edge thereof to guidingly engagethe other container half portion inwardly of the side wall thereof whenthe two half portions are put together. The portions may be welded orglued together or mechanical fasteners may be provided for this purpose.On the container half portions there may be provided fittings or lugsfor the attachment of sealing members such as a seal wire and lead sothat the interior of the container when the two half portions areinterconnected is not available from the outside without breaking theseal. In the container there is provided on the end wall of each halfportion a central cylindrical pin 13 for rotatably mounting a roll 14 ofa paper strip or tape 14'. The container forms in one of the end wallsthereof a bearing for a wheel 15 provided with drive dogs 16 arranged toengage holes formed in the strip as will be described below, forwithdrawal of the strip from roll 14 by rotation of the wheel in acounter-clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1.

Wheel 15 forms saw teeth 17 at the periphery thereof such teethcooperating with a spring blade ratchet 18 mounted in the container, toprevent the wheel from being rotated in the direction opposite to thatin which the wheel has to be rotated in order to withdraw the On eachticket there is printed a ticket number at 23, text naming theorganization arranging the lottery and giving other useful informationat 24, and a number identifying the roll, which is the same on alltickets of the roll, at 25. The tickets are not numbered in order but ina random disorder such that it is not possible to determine th' numberof a following ticket by guidance of the number of a ticket justwithdrawn from the container. Of course, this possibility has to becompletely eliminated as far as lotteries are concerned wherein thedrawing has been made before the sale of the tickets. In the ticketstrip there are punched circular holes 26 for the engagement of wheel 15at drive dogs 16 the circumferential pitch of such dogs corresponding tothe pitch of the holes of the ticket strip.

Due to ratchet means 17, 18 a ticket which has been withdrawn from thecontainer sufficiently for the ticket number to be read therefrom,cannot be returned to the container when it has been determined that theticket withdrawn is no winning ticket. This prevents criminal handlingof the tickets by returning nonwinning tickets to the container. It willbe seen that the successive tickets of the rolled strip, numbered in anon-regular sequence, is safely enclosed in the container when this hasbeen sealed the ticket numbers being protected against unauthorizedinspection, and that the tickets one at a time or several at a time maybe withdrawn from the container no possibility being given to push thestrip back into the container when the ticket number or numbers on theportion of the strip withdrawn from the container have been read. Thus,the ticket numbers are kept secret until the tickets are withdrawn andthis is an indispensable requirement as far as lotteries of the typereferred to are concerned.

The lottery apparatus described is extremely well suited for safetymeasures which have to be taken in lotteries, and for the distributionand sale of the tickets.

For the withdrawal of tickets from container this will be combined witha coin controlled operating mechanism which will now be described withreference to FIGS. 4 14 in the drawings. The operating mechanism may becommon for two or more containers a prepayment mechanism being providedfor each container such that the ticket strip of the container orcontainers in the prepayment mechanism of which a coin has beenintroduced, will be withdrawn and delivered when the operating mechanismis manually operated. In the embodiment shown two containers 10 arepresumed to be arranged in a housing 27 an operating handle 28 beinglocated on the right side of this housing as seen in FIG. 4. The housingis supported at the lower part thereof on a base 28, and a frame formounting the containers and the other parts and elements of the lotteryapparatus is mounted on this base the frame being fragrnentarilyindicated by dot and dash lines 30 in the several figures. Base 29receives a coin collecting drawer 29 wherein coins passing through theprepayment mechanism are collected. This drawer has to be provided witha lock.

Each container 10 may be removably connected with the frame by knownmeans such as clamp springs which mount the container in a fixedposition in the frame with wheel coupled to a turning member whichcomprises a hollow stub shaft 32 rotatably mounted on a stationary pin31 said shaft being notched at the free end thereof to engage a knob 33(FIG. 2) provided on wheel 15 and projecting from container 10 on theouter side thereof. On pin 31 which is supported byframe there isprovided a drive means 34 comprising a gear wheel 35 rotatably mountedon shaft 32, a spring biased drive pawl 36 pivoted to gear wheel 35, andan engagement disk 37 non-rotatably connected with shaft 32 coaxiallytherewith close to gear wheel 35. Disk 37 is formed with two notches 38,pawl 36 being arranged to enage these notches one at each time. It isbiased towards such engagement by a spring 36'. However, a back holder39 pivoted on a pin 39' is provided to be kept by a catch 40 in aposition wherein back holder 39 keeps pawl 36 in a passive position,against a bias provided by a counterweight 41 at one end of back holder39. Catch 40 is pivoted on a pin 40' supported by frame 30 and is biasedby a coiled tension spring '40" anchored in frame 30 to engage a notch39" in back holder 39. It will be actuated to release the back holder 39by a coin supplied to a prepayment mechanism 42.

A shaft 43 extending in parallel to stub shaft 32 carries a tooth sector44 non-rotatably connected with said shaft and engaging gear wheel 35.Shaft 43 may be actuated by operating handle 28 over a gearingcomprising a gear wheel 45 non-rotatably connected with shaft 43 andengaging a tooth sector 46 which is in turn non-rotatably connected witha shaft 47 parallel to shaft 43 and supporting operating handle 28. Thepivoting movement of the operating handle is limited by abutments, notshown, to an angular range providing a rotation of gear wheel 35 of ahalf revolution, and the operating handle may be spring biased to a restposition at one end of this angular range. Furthermore, there isprovided on shaft 43 a cam member 48 for providing a return movement ofback holder 39 for reengagement with catch 40. Shafts 43 and 47 arerotatably mounted by bearings, not shown, which are mounted by frame 30in a conventional manner.

The lottery apparatus also comprises a cutter 49, 50

disposed in the output path of the ticket strip delivered throughopening 20 of container 10. This cutter which comprises a stationaryblade 49 supported by the frame and a movable blade 50 pivoted to theframe is actuated by operating handle 28 by means of an arm 51 mountedonshaft 43 and arranged to actuate movable blade 50 to sever a ticket fromthe strip against stationary blade 49.

The prepayment mechanism 42 included into the apparatus may be of aconventional type and, therefore, it is not disclosed in detail.However, it comprises a coin passage which is indicated by dash and dotlines 52. An arm 53 connected with catch 40 at one end thereof projectsinto this passage.

Before the further details of the operating mechanism are described theoperation of the operating mechanism as described so far will beexplained.

FIG. 8 shows the operating mechanism in an initial position. Operatinghandle 28 is in its rest position in which notches 38 are in thepositions seen in FIG. 8, Le.

. one notch is disposed on top of disk 37 and the other each containerare provided in the lottery apparatus described. When passing throughpassage 52 the coin will actuate catch 40 at arm 53 projecting into thepassage. When the coin contacts this arm catch 40 will be pivoted in aclockwise direction as seen in FIG.

about pin 40' thereof and will release back holder 39 which will berotated in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 10 to move from pawl 36under the bias provided by counterweight 41. Thus, the pawl will be rotated to the activation position thereof under the bias provided byspring 36, this position being shown in FIG. 10, and will engage the topnotch 38 in disk 37. When operating handle 28 is now moved to the rightas seen in FIG. 5 in order to withdraw a ticket 21 completely from thecontainer without separating the ticket from the strip at cutter 49, 50the condition disclosed in FIG. 11 will be attained.

During this movement of operating handle 28 shaft 43 and thus arm 51,tooth sector 44 and cam member 48 will be rotated in a clockwisedirection as seen in FIGS. 8 and 11. This means that arm 51 will movetowards the movable blade 50 of the cutter. Tooth sector 44 will rotategear wheel 35 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 5 7 and in acounter-clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 8 and 11. When gear wheel35 is rotated, pawl 36 engaging disk 37 will be moved in the samedirection and, thus, stub shaft 32 engaging knob 33 of container 10,will be actuated to rotate the knob in order to withdraw ticket 21 fromthe container. When shaft 43 is rotated in a clockwise direction as seenin FIGS. 8 and l 1, cam member 48 will be rotated in the same directionand will actuate the lower portion of back holder 39 which will bereturned to its initial position wherein catch 40 engages the backholder. When shaft 43 is rotated a coin passage blocking member 55forming part of the prepayment mechanism will be actuated by a pin, notshown, on pawl 36 in order to be moved into passage 52 and prevent afurther coin inserted through the coin slot from passing through theprepayment mechanism before a ticket has been withdrawn and cut off fromthe strip due to the activation of the operating mechanism brought aboutby the proceeding coin. When operating handle 28 is further actuatedafter withdrawal of the ticket the movable blade 50 will be actuated byarm5l on shaft 43 so that cutter 49, 50 will sever the ticket; cf. FIG.7. When operating handle 28 is returned or returns to the initialposition thereof, i.e. the rest position, all the elements included inthe operating mechanism will be returned to their initial positions andthe lottery apparatus is now prepared for a new operation when a coinhas been supplied to the prepayment mechanism and has passed through thecoin passage thereof.

If a ticket is withdrawn from the container but is not separated fromthe ticket strip there may be the risk that there will be delivered fromthe machine several integral tickets of a sufficient length to allow thestrip to be gripped manually and be withdrawn from the containeralthough a number of coins corresponding to the number of ticketswithdrawn have not been supplied to the prepayment mechanism. A blockingmechanism preventing this procedure is disclosed in FIGS. 5 7 andcomprises a blocking arm 56 which is connected with shaft 43 at one endthereof to be rotatable to.- gether with said shaft and which has at thefree end thereof a notch 57. Below shaft 43 there is disposed a blockinglatch 58 pivoted to a pin 59 which projects from frame 30 the falcrum ofsaid blocking latch being located in such manner that the blocking latchwill be held by its own weight in a substantially vertical position oneend of the latch being directed upwardly in such position. This end isbevelled to form a sharp edge 60. On frame 30 close to blocking latch 58there is provided an abutment pin 61 preventing the blocking latch to berotated a complete revolution.

In FIG. 5 the blocking mechanism is shown in a nonoperative conditionwherein blocking arm 56 and blocking latch 58 are disengaged so thatoperating handle 28 may be unobstructedly operated for rotating shaft 43in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 5 such rotation of theshaft being necessary for the withdrawal of a ticket when a coin hasbeen supplied to the prepayment mechanism as described above. In FIG. 6the movement of operating handle 28 has continued for the withdrawal ofa ticket from the container in the manner described but not to a degreesufficient for severing the ticket from the strip. It will be seen thatshaft 43 has been rotated over gearing 45, 46 to bring arm 51 intocontact with the movable blade of cutter 49, 50 without actuating saidblade. During the rotation of shaft 43 blocking arm 56 pushing away endof blocking latch 58 engages this end at notch 57. If the operator inthis position tries to return operating handle 28 to the initialposition thereof this will be prevented by the engagement betweenblocking arm 56 and blocking latch 58 such engagement preventing shaft43 to be rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 6. However,the actuation of the handle may continue, and by this continued movementof the operating handle and the elements related thereto blade 50 willbe moved against blade 49 to cut off the ticket from the strip as seenin FIG. 7. During this operation blocking arm 56 will swing pas-tblocking latch 58 which will be pushed away by the blocking arm andeventually will be free from this arm to swing back to the initialposition behind the blocking arm by its own weight. Now, when theoperating handle is returned blocking arm 56 will push away blockinglatch 58 at the bevelled end without engaging the latch and the blockingmechanism will retain its initial non-operative position. A furtheroperation for withdrawing a ticket may now be initiated when a coin orcoins have been supplied to the prepayment mechanism.

In the lotteryticket vending machine according to FIG. 4 there isprovided in housing 27 for each lottery apparatus an outlet opening 27for the separated tickets behind a canopy 62 a channelled receptacle 63for collecting the tickets being arranged in connection with the outletopening. Canopy 62 comprises a strip formed of a blade 64 which isfitted to the outer surface of housing 27. This strip is bent to extendfrom the housing substantially in parallel to the bottom of receptacle63 between the side walls thereof and then in parallel to the front wallof the housing to a lower level into the receptacle the stripterminating close to the bottom of the receptacle leaving a spacebetween the end of the strip and the bottom. This form of canopy 62makes it impossible to reach the lottery-ticket before an individualticket which has been withdrawn from the container has been cut off bycutter 49, 50 when the ticket is in the position according to FIG. 6. Inthis position the ticket is located behind canopy 62 where it cannot bereached from the outside. When the ticket has been severed from theticket strip and falls down into receptacle 63 it may be removed fromthe machine.

In FIGS. 13 and 14 there is disclosed a stop mechanism comprising aresiliently supported sensing member 65 abutting the edge of ticketstrip 14' under the action of a spring bias. This member is mounted forlinear displacement towards and away from the ticket strip edge by asub-frame 66 mounted on frame 30 and is held back against the springbias when there is a ticket strip in the path of the strip. It isoperatively connected with a two-armed pivoted lever 67 which is held inthe position according to FIG. 13, a passive position, when member 65 isin the position according to FIG. 13. However, the lever is insertableinto coin passage 52 to prevent a coin from passing fully through thispassage. In this position the lever forms a deflector which will deflectthe coin into a return passage in a manner known in the art. In housing27 there is provided a coin slot 68, FIG. 4, through which the returnedcoin will be recovered.

Housing 27 may be provided with directions for the use of thelottery-ticket vending machine and with indicating means for indicatingthat the apparatus has failed or that the tickets are sold out.

What we claim is:

l. A lottery apparatus for dispensing individual numbered tickets from aroll of tickets, the apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a closed container having a single outlet opening, the container beingreplacably mounted as a separate unit in the frame;

a roll of a continuous strip forming successive tickets numbered in anon-regular sequence, the roll being enclosed in the container for theprotection of the rolls number secrecy;

rotative means on the closed container communicating with the interiorof the container for effecting the withdrawal of the strip from thecontainer through the outlet opening;

means enclosed by the container for preventing the withdrawn strip frombeing returned to the container; and,

driving means carried on the frame for releasably engaging the rotativemeans when the container is mounted in the frame whereby activation ofthe driving means causes withdrawal of the strip from the containerthrough the outlet opening.

2. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a manualoperating mechanism and a prepayment mechanism for activating thedriving means by at least one coin supplied to the prepayment mechanism.

3. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the driving meanscomprises a stub shaft formed for engagement with the rotative means,and a pivoted member which is movable back and forth about the stubshaft by means of the operating mechanism and is provided with anengagement operable from an inoperative position to an operativeposition by means of the prepayment mechanism, said engagement memberengaging the stub shaft in the operative position to carry it along inthe movement of the pivoted member.

4. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the engagementmember comprises a pawl which is biased towards an engaged position, andwherein the prepayment mechanism includes a pivoted back holder forholding the pawl in a disengaged position against the bias.

5. A lottery apparatus as claimed inclaim 4 further comprising a catchfor the back holder operatively connected with the prepayment mechanismto hold the back holder in a position, in which the pawl is disengaged,and to release the backholder in dependence of the prepayment mechanism,and means for returning the back holder to an operative position bymeans of the operating mechanism.

6. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a cutterfor severing a ticket from the withdrawn strip, the cutter beingactivated by the operating mechanism at continued operation thereofafter the withdrawal of the strip, and the operating mechanism beingoperatively connected with a blocking means preventing the returnmovement of the operating mechanism before the cutter has been operated.

7. A lottery apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a container enclosing a roll of continuous strips and provided with anoutlet opening, the container being replacably mounted in the frame;

rotative means within the container including means for allowing onlythe withdrawal of the strips from the container through the outletopening;

driving means, including a stub shaft, carried on the frame andreleasably connected to the rotative means;

a manual operating mechanism driving the stub shaft,

said manual operating mechanism including a pivited member moveable backand forth about the stub shaft;

a pawl mounted on the pivoted member and biased towards and engagedposition on the stub to carry said stub shaft along with the movement ofthe pivoted member; and

a prepayment mechanism including a pivoted back holder for holding thepawl in a disengaged position and means for releasing the back holder.

8. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said means forreleasing the back holder comprises a catch for the back holderoperatively connected with the prepayment mechanism to hold the backholder in a position in which the pawl is disengaged, and to release theback holder in dependence on the prepayment mechanism, and means forreturning the back holder to an operative position by means of theoperating mechanism.

1. A lottery apparatus for dispensing individual numbered tickets from aroll of tickets, the apparatus comprising: a frame; a closed containerhaving a single outlet opening, the container being replacably mountedas a separate unit in the frame; a roll of a continuous strip Formingsuccessive tickets numbered in a non-regular sequence, the roll beingenclosed in the container for the protection of the roll''s numbersecrecy; rotative means on the closed container communicating with theinterior of the container for effecting the withdrawal of the strip fromthe container through the outlet opening; means enclosed by thecontainer for preventing the withdrawn strip from being returned to thecontainer; and, driving means carried on the frame for releasablyengaging the rotative means when the container is mounted in the framewhereby activation of the driving means causes withdrawal of the stripfrom the container through the outlet opening.
 2. A lottery apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 further comprising a manual operating mechanism and aprepayment mechanism for activating the driving means by at least onecoin supplied to the prepayment mechanism.
 3. A lottery apparatus asclaimed in claim 2 wherein the driving means comprises a stub shaftformed for engagement with the rotative means, and a pivoted memberwhich is movable back and forth about the stub shaft by means of theoperating mechanism and is provided with an engagement operable from aninoperative position to an operative position by means of the prepaymentmechanism, said engagement member engaging the stub shaft in theoperative position to carry it along in the movement of the pivotedmember.
 4. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein theengagement member comprises a pawl which is biased towards an engagedposition, and wherein the prepayment mechanism includes a pivoted backholder for holding the pawl in a disengaged position against the bias.5. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a catchfor the back holder operatively connected with the prepayment mechanismto hold the back holder in a position, in which the pawl is disengaged,and to release the backholder in dependence of the prepayment mechanism,and means for returning the back holder to an operative position bymeans of the operating mechanism.
 6. A lottery apparatus as claimed inclaim 2 further comprising a cutter for severing a ticket from thewithdrawn strip, the cutter being activated by the operating mechanismat continued operation thereof after the withdrawal of the strip, andthe operating mechanism being operatively connected with a blockingmeans preventing the return movement of the operating mechanism beforethe cutter has been operated.
 7. A lottery apparatus comprising: aframe; a container enclosing a roll of continuous strips and providedwith an outlet opening, the container being replacably mounted in theframe; rotative means within the container including means for allowingonly the withdrawal of the strips from the container through the outletopening; driving means, including a stub shaft, carried on the frame andreleasably connected to the rotative means; a manual operating mechanismdriving the stub shaft, said manual operating mechanism including apivited member moveable back and forth about the stub shaft; a pawlmounted on the pivoted member and biased towards and engaged position onthe stub to carry said stub shaft along with the movement of the pivotedmember; and a prepayment mechanism including a pivoted back holder forholding the pawl in a disengaged position and means for releasing theback holder.
 8. A lottery apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which saidmeans for releasing the back holder comprises a catch for the backholder operatively connected with the prepayment mechanism to hold theback holder in a position in which the pawl is disengaged, and torelease the back holder in dependence on the prepayment mechanism, andmeans for returning the back holder to an operative position by means ofthe operating mechanism.